jazzyvee

Yeah good vibes.......

I bought my Mesa boogie walkabout in 2003 and I think they are a great little amp. Mine is the silver faced version and I've had problems with the output suddenly dropping really low. I took it to a repair centre and was told this is a common problem with the version I have and it relates to the jacks used in the send/return sockets. Its been fixed now and seems ok. The newer versions of the amp are ok apparently.

On a slightly different note, about 12 yrs ago I bought a high end electric guitar from cash converters. It was in immaculate as new condition including a deluxe case. I paid good money for it but about 1/3rd of the retail price ,(£1300),at the time. Anyway I contacted the manufacturer via email sending the serial number and asked for some details about the guitar. By return of email I got the reply that the guitar belongs to them and that it is a pre-release guitar they had loaned to the guitarist of a famous rock band, whom he named but I won't mention, and that I should return the guitar to them. Concerned that I may have inadvertently bought a stolen instrument, I contacted cash converters who would not release the details of the seller of the guitar and then took legal advice. I was advised that I should contact the police to try to establish if it has been reported stolen. It hadn't. then if it had not been reported stolen then I should contact the manufacturer explaining that I had bought the guitar in good faith from a store and paid a fair price for a used instrument stressing that it has not been reported stolen and if they felt that the guitar was their property them they should contact the police and resolve the matter of owner ship through the courts. The police did advise me not to sell the guitar before I establish if the company is intending to pursue the matter legally. I didn't get an acknowledgement of my email and even contacted them a couple of times in intervening years and got no reply. I still get stuff through on their email list when they have new stuff and their site forum. I often wonder if they got in touch with the guitarist they loaned it to. It's a superb guitar though.

No basses in or out this year but I'm still on the lookout for a used short scale Alembic Series I or II bass.

I prefer right angled jacks. I think they pose less risk of being pulled out and I think they exert less stress on the jack socket. Also for not being able to fit into a strat style jack socket, I also use right angled ones on my strat as well, you just have to invert it. The right angled jack on my Fender Custom Shop cables won't stay in one of my basses so I use a neutrik right angled cable for that bass.

Just play it from the underneath instead. :-) [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1npcwhVTAM&spfreload=10"]https://www.youtube....AM&spfreload=10[/url]

I use a Radial DI ProD2

I spent a long afternoon trying our a load of fender basses out in a shop in Brighton about 5 years back and this was the only one that felt and sounded like a bass i could spend my money on. If in the future i need a fender bass sound I'll start by seeking out one of these.

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1418641943' post='2631878'] It's probably worth using switch cleaner spray on all pots and switches just in case any of those are affecting the signal. [/quote] Don't use Switch cleaner on Alembics, the pots and switches are sealed and are self cleaning. http://alembic.com/club/messages/16271/16357.html?1107712343 As for the switches it's recommended switching them on and off about 30 times or so to clean them.

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1418066123' post='2626517'] Lots of basses with "blank" fretboards have tiny dot markers on the side anyway... Could be worse, you could use LEDs! [/quote] Ahem..... well my bass came with led side markers as standard and I think they are a great aid when making large leaps around the fretboard. Thankfully they are not visible to the audience. :-) cos that would be way too flash.

For me, I prefer 4 string basses but most of my gigs require a low B so 5 string is more appropriate and what I use most of the time. As for 6 string bass.... I have tried them out in music shops but not found any musical reason for me to own one. That may change in the future.

There is an Alembic persuader on sale on Facebook alembic group at the moment. I don't know what your budget is but it's listed as €1,700 If I'm not mistaken those basses are usually 32" scale length. I bought an Alembic F1-x pre-amp off him last year and everything went smoothly. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK5P2ZWttEg&feature=youtu.be"]https://www.youtube....eature=youtu.be[/url] [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,][email protected][/font][/color]

I still have the compressor limiter. I used it when I had a Tascam 244 Portastudio and it was a great piece of kit. I have used it a few times in my guitar rig but not live on bass. I recall it used to have a nasty hmm if you didn't use a boss pus.

[color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]2014 marks 15 years since the passing of Grover Washington Jr. To celebrate his musical achievements my band [/font][/color][color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,] The [/font][/color][url="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Delano-Mills-Notstrictlyjazz-Quartet-Winelight/21358399106"]Delano Mills Notstrictlyjazz Quarte[/url]t [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]will be performing a commemoration tribute concert in appreciation of his music.[/font][/color] [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]Featuring: Me:bass, [/font][/color][url="https://www.facebook.com/AlvinDavisHornBlower"]Alvin Davis[/url][color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]: saxophones, Martin Trotman: keyboards & vocals.[/font][/color] [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]David Parry:guitars, Karen Milne:Drums & percussion and [/font][/color][color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]Norman Stewart: Steel Pans.[/font][/color] [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]Enjoy some of Grover's most memorable tracks authentically recreated for you by experienced musicians for[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,] whom this music formed part of the soundtrack of their youth. Support band: Jazzlines Ensemble[/font][/color] [b][color=#141823]Date: 12/12/2014[/color][/b] [b]Venue: [url="http://livebrum.co.uk/venues/the-crossing"]The Crossing[/url], [color=#222222][font=inherit]South & City College Birmingham, [/font][/color][color=#222222][font=inherit]High Street Deritend, [/font][/color][color=#222222][font=inherit]Birmingham, [/font][/color][color=#222222][font=inherit]B5 5S[/font][/color][/b] [b][font=inherit]Doors from 19:30 until 23:00[/font][/b] [color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,]Tickets are available at £10.00 in advance If you buy your ticket(s) on line, you can take advantage of the Early Bird offer of £7.50. [url="https://www.theticketsellers.co.uk/tickets/a-tribute-to-grover-washington-jnr/10033801"]https://www.theticke...on-jnr/10033801[/url][/font][/color] [attachment=177317:Grover.jpg][color=#141823][font=Helvetica, Arial,] [/font][/color] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUoY0V80zHs&list=UUQwyLh07zkCIZuRPMJL0Nmw"]https://www.youtube....zkCIZuRPMJL0Nmw[/url]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1416854435' post='2614342'] Rearing it's ugly head again - my 21st century gripe - lack of bass definition! For a long while, I thought it was just me. Reassuring to know that others feel the same way - I can't fathom as to why bass has been reduced to a dull thump in so many cases. Musical mush! [/quote] I have found this to be true at larger venues or festivals than in small venues. Must be some physics going on but yep, many times I can see the fingers doing stuff but don't hear the notes just some dull thud, mainly bass drum.

I actually tried one out at the Northern Guitar Fare in Liverpool yesterday afternoon and the difference between this optical lead and a standard lead is massive. I thought this was gonna be another snake oil product but the difference between the standard and optical lead is so clear you don't have to listen carefully to hear it I was actually shocked at the difference. I did try it out with passive basses a Shergold bass and a Rickenbacker 4004. I hope to have an opportunity to try it with my alembic to see if the difference is as great with an active bass before I make any decision on whether to buy one. My only concerns about it is that the batteries last about 18 hrs which is another thing to think about when you are using active basses and the housing on the prototype is plastic which is not gonna be as durable for the rigours of the stage as a metal jack. Maybe the production model will be metal.

Do you get any interference from these?

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1416135567' post='2607141'] The money is in weddings and corporate gigs, not pubs. But that may be a road you don't want to go down. [/quote] I've done my share of those in the mid to late 90's and whilst yes they do pay more than your average pub gigs etc, I never found them to be as rewarding as your average pub/club/venue gigs. I've always had a day job so gigs have never been to earn a living from music even when I was combining touring and working.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1416133108' post='2607098'] My take on it has always been I play for nothing because I love it. I get paid to lug the gear around. Seems to work for me. [/quote] + 1

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1415657334' post='2602519'] And if you do get caught then you've got nasty fines on top of the duties Could be issues with importing without the required certificates from US Dept of Agriculture & Fisheries. The abalone in the Fodera logo requires this registration and every officially imported Fodera goes through this process. Not sure what the penalty for this is but could mean the bas would be impounded [/quote] My bass, bought in the EU has Abalone inlay fretboard markers, would that be a problem if I took it to the USA for a tour then tried to return to the UK with it?

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1415965173' post='2605612'] ............ So I use it more as a fount of knowledge rather a social or community site. And you do have to filter out the crazies a bit more... as usual there are a lot of opinions put forward as fact, so you get quite good at seeking out the truth... [/quote] I don't find it any better or worse than BC to be honest and I use it more to find out about things bass and like here I try to stay out of the heated threads.

[attachment=176323:IMG_4925.JPG] I'm in the process of rebuilding a guitar I first built in about 1982. It's a red strat that I made, (carved the body and bought a neck), from following instructions in a library book. I used it extensively in the 80's and chopped and changed a variety of Dimarzio pickups in it at the time. A couple of years after I made it I removed the frets and used it as a fretless guitar for a while then bought a strat and put it down. Last year I decided it's time to get it playable again and I've started a rebuild. I think the body is Ash but can't be 100% has heavy brass hardware whammy bar. I've just installed some Alembic activator pickups that I won on eBay about 2 years ago and bought from Alembic their active bass and treble cut/boost electronics. I'm just looking for a neck now to complete it though that could be a challenge as my neck pocket is not a standard width which is why the previous neck was not a snug fit and occasionally moved. Interestingly it's not ending up being cheaper than buying an off the shelf strat but It's personal.